Game device.



w. H. HEFFLEY.

GAME DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-21, 916.

1,29,963. 7 Patented Dec. 26,1916. j

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i a E GAME DEVICE.

- Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad tothe accompanying drawings.

TlllS invention relates to game devices and has for its primary objectto provide a game attachment for pool tables whereby a variety of noveland amusing games may be played.

It is another and more particular ob ect of the invention to providemeans arranged in juxtaposition to the pockets of a pool table andactuated by the impact of the ball to operate the pointer of a counter,the number indicated by the counter when it comes to a position of restbeing credited to the score of the player, according to the rules of thegame.

It is an additional object of my invention to provide a device for theabove purpose, embodying a casing suitably fixed in the marginal wallofthe table, centrally of the pocket wall, and havingits upper surfacesuitably numberedor provided with other value indicating characters, aspinning pointer adapted to operate over the numbered surface, and meansmounted within the casing for actuating said pointer including an impactreceiving element moyable through one wall of the casing and extendinginto the pocket. I

With the above and otherobjects in View, my invention consists in thenovel features of construction, combinationand arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully 7 described. claimed and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing. in which,

Figure lis a fragmentary top plan view of a pool table showing myimproved game device applied thereto; Fig. 2 is an enlarged verticalsection; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;Fig. 4 is a horizontal section similar to Fig. 3. illustrating aslightly modified form of the device; and Fig. -5 is a horizontalsection show- 'in still another alternative construction.

Referringin detail tothe drawing and more particularly to Figs. 1, 2'and3 thereof. 3 5 designates generally a pool table hav1n the usualmarginal rails 6. The table 5 Specification of Letters Patent. PatentedDec. 26, 1916.

Application filed January 27, 1916, Serial No. 74,661. i

the longitudinal rails with the usual ball receiving pockets 7 The wallofeach pocket" I 7, centrally thereof, is mortised or recessed, asindicated at 8, to receive a casing 9 which is fixed to the rails of thetable by means of suitable screws indicated at 10. The upper surface ofthis casing is flush with the rail surfaces and, upon the same, thenumerals 11 arestamped or otherwise delineated. In the top and bottomwalls of the casing 9,

a shaft 12 is rotatably mounted, and upon the upper end of this shaftthe pointer 13 is loosely mounted. Immediately beneath the pointer, aratchet disk 14 is fixed upon the shaft 12 and said pointer carries aspringpressed pawl 15 for engagement with the teeth of this ratchet sothat'the pointer will be locked to the shaft for rotation therewith inone direction.

A star wheel 16 is fixed upon the shaft 12 within the casing 9 and isengaged by the lug 16 on the bar 17 mounted to reciprocate through saidcasing. One end of this bar is offset, as at 18, and extends exteriorlyof the casing and radially with respect to the pockets 7. To this offsetend 18 of the bar, a curved .arm 19, substantially concentric with thewall of the pocket 7, is fixed, and is suitably padded so that thesurfaces of the balls will not be marked by contact there with. The bar17 within the casing 9 is formed with a laterally projecting lug 20 towhich one end. of a spring 21 is secured, the. other end of said springbeing fixed to the wall of the casing9.

It will be readily understood that, in the operation of'the device asabove described, the ball, when pocketed by the player, will strike thepadded arm 19 and force the bar 17 inwardly. The lug 16 engaging theWheel 16 rotates the shaft 12, and the pawl 15 being engaged by theratchet 14, the

pointer 13 is rotated with said shaft. The

spring 21 is, of course, stretched and placed under tension so that whenthe impact force upon the bar'has been expended, said spring I willcontract and reverse the movement of said bar, thus also reverslng therotatlon of the shaft 12. The pointer 13, however, will continue to turn,or rotate as the pawl 15 thereon will move idly over the reverselyrotating ratchet 14. The rotation of the pointer gradually slows downuntil it finally omes to a stop over one of the numerals 11'. on theupper 'face of the casing 9.

provided at its corners and at the center of number. indicated therebyis placed,- to

credit or discredit of the player as the case may be, in accordance'withthe rules. ofthe particular game.

It is manifest that a great variety of games might be played by means ofthe device, in connection withtheordinary game of pool. It is furtherapparent that various other mechanisms might be employed for causingarotation of the indicating pointer or arrow when the ball is pocketed,certain of whichil have shown inFigs- 4 and 5 of thedrawings, andwhichmay be explained as follows:

Ina Fig a, I have shown an v ordinary spiral cloclr spring 22- arrangedwithin the casing 9v-and fixed at one of its ends to the shaftorsspindle 12 and at its, other end to the Wall of the casing 9t Inthis'case, the

pointer or arrow is fixedto the upper-end offtlre vertical shaft. Uponsaid shaft wi'thinathe casing, a; ratchet disk 23,is also secured, withwhich the end ofa pivoted pawl 24nis'normally heldin-engagement bymeansofthe spring 25 bearing-against the free-end-ofsaid pawl. A bar-17, similar to the: bar-1 17. above described, is, movable through theside wall of the casing; and has.

its inner end disposed betweenthe ratchet disk;13 and the pawl 24 and injuxtaposition to: the latter, The other endof said baris equipped'with acurved padded-armfor engagement by the ball asabove referred-to; Asuitable knurled head orbutton is fixed to thegupperend of the shaft 12so thatsaid shaft may beconveniently rotated and the spiral spring 22wound about said shaft. Immediately upon theball striking the arm,].9;t;he-rodrrl'bar17 acts to release the pawl 24cZfrom engagementwith-the ratchet 23 so that the spring will unwind and thus rotate thesha-ft and spin-the pointer. The. spring 22 isg-of 'suchtensile strengththat it will unwind only partially unlessthe impact? of the baILagainst:the arm 19,- is sufii-ciently forcible to force the-bar 17 to the limitof its-in-o.

ward movement and thus, hold the pawl 24% out of engagement with theratchet 23 r suf icient ng h im o permit of.

the full u-nwinding of. the spring, Thus, it

ill-- a-s en tha the ext nt i a io f the indicating po n r; will' iy ncord-- ancewith the pressureof the ball upon the impact receiving 7 arm,V

ImEig; 5,-of the drawing, I have; shown a series of blades or-vanes 26fixed to the shaft 12 and extending "radially. therefrom. The

inner sideof-the casing 9 is open and, to the same, the wallwof anairbulb 27 is suitably secured-r This bulb is: preferably of rubber onother elastic-material and the walliwhic h is-aoppo edzto: he int ri r fthe a i g l is formed with a di ec i g disc a ge nipple- 2 8,. whichoperatesto direct the air against-the, anesz r'. blades 12, and hus roatehe shaft and the pointer fixed to the upper end thereof. It-will beunderstood that the air bulb 27 is of such proportions ,thatrit will notinterfere with the gravity movement of the ball into: the pocket.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, it

is. believed that {the construction, manner of use and severaladvantages of. the device will be clearly and fully, understood.

I have herein disclosed several alternative forms of the invention,bu-tit is apparent that, numerous: other mechanisms might be, devisedforthe operation of the indicating pointer; It is therefore,,to be bornein mind thatI. do not consider myself restricted to any of they severalillustrated mechanisms referred to in the practical adaptation andapplication of the invention. Sucha-device afi rds me ns or-pl ying. aiou mu in games-;.wherein the ordinary pool balls are r utilized,, Thedevice, can be readilyapplied to pool tables of the usualconstructionwith-r t-requiring any ateri l alt r ti s h in In ew. of he impli ty, th

vention, it will a further be appreciated that he ame is ery d mbleandno li b o g t, ut f order-T WhileI have shown and described the.

prefe red. construction and; nge of the severalparts, 1t 1 snevertheless,to be understood that the device is susceptible of,

various 7 modifications I therein without a departing from the essentialfeatures or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, asclaimed, 1 7

Having thus fully described my invention, hn l d sire o. claim and sec rby Le r ntent s:

1. v T e. combin tioniw v table h ng a ballreoeivingpocket, of a rotaryindicator mounted upon the table adjacent to said pocket, andoperatingmeans for said indicator. having an impact receiving member, projectinginto the pocket 2,, The; combinationwith a table having] a all nceivingpock t, f a r t ry indicator mounted pon; he' able dj a b h er deo the pocket, .and m an fo op t g W heindi ator. including n impact eceig;

member adaptedtobe engaged the ball hen. rivenin e he.po k t 3: The.QOlAbilldfiiQHQW-iih a nbl th i g a pocket,.,of.a gamejd vice ncluding adial" pointer! ne able ove he l, ndmeans;

for opera ing aid, p n r inc uding a pring) h ld; ac uat P Qis ting rdially-- into the pocket for engagement by a ball;

5. The combination With a table having a pocket, of a casing permanentlymounted in the table and having a dial face flush with the surface ofthe table, a shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a pointer on saidshaft movable over the dial, and means for rotating said shaft includinga rectilinearly movable actuating element projecting into the pocket forengagement by a ball.

6. The combination with a table having a pocket, of a game deviceincluding a casing fixed in the table and having a dial face flush withthe surface thereof, a shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a pointeron said head movable over the dial face, and means for rotating saidshaft including a spring held actuating element movable through one Wallof the casing and projecting radially into the pocket, and a curvedpadded arm fixed to said element for engagement by a ball.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature in the presence oftWo Witnesses.

WILLIAM H. HEFFLEY.

Witnesses:

M. CARLISLE LYDDANE, ANNIE I. HIND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of latenta. Washington. D. G.

